Good things come to those who wait

The GIST: Over 100 hours of negotiations later, we finally have a new WNBA CBA. The term sheet is still being finalized and the deal needs to be ratified, but reports indicate the league’s sixth CBA is as transformational as hoped. And exhale.

💸 The details: Per ESPN, the salary cap now starts at $7M (up from $1.5M), supermax deals begin at $1.4M (up from $249K), and the average salary is $600K (up from $120K). Revenue share was a major sticking point for the WNBPA, and the sides landed at nearly 20%.

• News has also started to emerge surrounding other aspects of the new deal, including additional developmental roster spots and league-provided housing for all players until 2029, a perk that teams will provide thereafter for players making under $500K.

💥 The impact: This CBA sets a new standard for pay across women’s sports, building on the momentum the league generated in recent seasons. Best of all, it will be life-changing for every player. The WNBA’s minimum salary is now $300K, up from $66K. Yes, the ceiling has risen, but so has the floor.

⏩ What’s next: So much to do, so little time. Ratifying the deal is expected to take until the end of the month, and what follows will be a flurry of hoopla. The league’s to-do list includes an expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, free agency, the WNBA entry draft, training camp, and a preseason slate…all before season tip-off on May 8th.

• The most intriguing part of the next 49 days will likely be free agency, with over 100 players eligible to sign new contracts. Players purposefully inked deals that ended this offseason, hoping to capitalize on a lucrative CBA — and now they can. Truly game-changing.

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.The GIST: How’s that bracket doing? March is already off to a heart-pounding start, with the signature Madness in full force during yesterday’s men’s first-round matchups.

• Today’s remaining first-round games are appointment viewing and buckle up, because a basketball tsunami is headed your way: The Sweet 16 will be set before we’re back in your inbox on Monday. That’s a whole lot of buckets.

😱 Upsets abound on Day 1: No. 12 High Point earned the first high-profile takedown of the tourney, topping No. 5 Wisconsin 83–82 early in the day. The No. 11 seeds also balled out: VCU beat No. 6 UNC 82–78 in overtime, while First Four victor Texas ousted No. 6 BYU and top NBA Draft prospect AJ Dybantsa 79–71 last night.

😬 No. 1 Duke narrowly avoids historic stunner: Things looked bleak for the tourney’s No. 1 overall seed, who trailed No. 16 Siena 43–32 at halftime. Freshman guard Dame Sarr, who took on a bigger role in injured star Caleb Foster’s absence, was ice cold from the field, but his late block tilted the momentum to help the Blue Devils avoid disaster with a 71–65 win.

• Duke wasn’t the only squad to barely survive: No. 5 Vanderbilt, No. 6 Louisville, and No. 3 Gonzaga all advanced with narrow dubs. Whew.

❤️ No. 4 Nebraska seals program’s first tourney win: Nebrasketball cruised past No. 13 Troy 76–47 last night, buoyed by forward Pryce Sandfort’s seven daggers from beyond the three-point line. It’s notably not the first NCAA tournament win in school history, but a BFD nonetheless. They’ll go for number two against Vanderbilt tomorrow at 8:45 p.m. ET.

🤯 No one saw it coming. No. 8 seed UNC men’s basketball stormed through the 2022 tournament, knocking off every favored foe in their path (archnemesis included). And it all culminated in a magical championship game appearance under first-year head coach Hubert Davis. Talk about a debut.

• From underdogs to title contenders, the Tar Heels never stopped pushing. So let’s raise one to the hoopers who defied the odds — because that’s the Mark of a Fighter. That’s Modelo.

🎓🏒 NCAA women’s Frozen Four: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Northeastern — Today at 4 p.m. ET — ESPN+

• Anchored by Olympic gold medalist Joy Dunne, the Buckeyes are the clear cut faves in the first of today’s two semifinals. But count out the underdog Huskies at your own risk: Goalie Lisa “Brickwall” Jönsson is ready to bring the Madness of March to the ice with a spot in Sunday’s championship on the line. Chills, indeed.

⚽ NWSL: Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign FC — Tonight at 10 p.m. ET — Prime Video

• This edition of the PNW rivalry is a generational battle…literally, featuring 39-year-old Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock’s millennial magic vs. the Gen Z aura of 20-year-old Thorns phenom Olivia Moultrie. Good thing there’s no age restrictions on golazos.

🏒 PWHL: Minnesota Frost vs. Vancouver Goldeneyes — Tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET — YouTube

• Both teams have just 10 games left in the regular season, and the Goldeneyes are making a late push for the final of four playoff spots. The best way to put the league on notice? A win against the two-time defending champ Frost, who are sitting pretty atop the standings.